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The online campain thread

Cantousent

Posted 17 April 2006 - 09:55 PM

Cantousent

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I'm glad to have you guys. So far, we've got a good core group going.

Eldar is a great name for a DM. On the other hand, since we're all gaming together, you can call me Daniel, Dan, Danny, Danny-boy. Danielito, Danmeister, the Great Dandini, or some such. I'll answer to both, but Eldar sounds too formal for the kind of beer swilling, chip eating, wench chasing (only my wife, of course) sort of campaign I intend to run.

Musopticon?

Posted 18 April 2006 - 10:34 AM

Musopticon?

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Location:What the Bircarli once called their own, spires of soot, flatlands of silver, sky afire

It's not I have nothing against variety, but I suggest we remove competition between players altogether or stay to core classes. Things could get kinda messy and unfair. Of course, if this going to be a happy romp as one close-knit(more or less, I expect the chaotics to not agree with the lawful, etc) party, then no worries.

Cantousent

Posted 18 April 2006 - 09:18 PM

Cantousent

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Okay, the group dynamic will probably be good. This is an IRC game, which means I’d rather not have characters develop vendettas against one another. Now, characters can, and will, have their own motivations. There’s no problem with that. Characters need not share everything and some characters will undoubtedly keep secrets from the rest of the group. So, I’m not going to yell at folks for playing the role, but there’s no need to stab each other in the back all the time. If this works out nicely, then we can branch out to less conventional styles. For example, some folks might want to create an all evil group where stabbing each other in the back, literally, is part of the fun.

Now down to the nitty-gritty. Here are the important areas of my campaign that differ from the more or less conventional standards.

First of all, I don’t use prestige classes. I give the characters a lot of opportunities to engage in much more meaningful avenues of self-expression. On one hand, some of these avenues will derive from what I write into the story itself. On the other hand, the players can approach me with specific character ideas and we’ll create something together. What I don’t want is to have paladin prestige classes included in the story that should not be represented in the areas you’ll see. If a paladin has a particular way he wants to express his devotion to his deity or his code, then we’ll make sure he gets the chance. That might translate to specific skills on his part, certain accomplishments, a list of acquisitions, etc. Finally, there’s a good chance a different DM will take over the game before anyone is in much of a position to worry about prestige classes.

Second of all, I don’t give kill experience. Normally, what I do is to set up various scenarios. The experience you get will be based on how you progress. So, you might think of it as “quest experience” if that makes sense to you. The way I assign experience usually doesn’t intrude on the game. It plays in exactly the same way. The only significant factor to remember is that you can’t just say you’re going to hunt fifteen more orcs because that will give you just enough to achieve the next level. ERRRRNNNN Wrong answer.

As far as familiars go, you may use the regular rules. However, I have to tell you that there are times when familiars of one type or another will be a liability. That doesn’t mean we won’t work around it. To be safe, however, let me know what you have in mind for your familiar, animal companion, etc.

I would like to know your character class and backstory by tomorrow evening. I will be sending out PM’s to folks with specific pre-game information to set the story. I will post something in this thread to give you an idea of how the campaign begins, but you’ll have to become accustomed to the setting as the campaign unfolds.

EDIT: Dammit, we'll use a straight, unweighted point buy system. That's Players, NPCs, and monster NPCs. You have 70 points to attribute. You must put, at the very least 7 points in each attribute. If you gimp your character's attributes in order to min/max, it will probably come back to haunt you at one point or another.

Sneak AttackTrapfinding--------------------------------------------Backstory: Horace hails from the (relatively) small hobbit-town of Lohbel. As a child, Horace was loathsome toward the menial hobbit life that his family led as farmers, and so he would often venture far away to neighboring towns and areas, exploring and pestering the larger, human town-folk and slowly learning howto deal slyly in his environments, utilizing his small size and shooting the dimunitive game he spotted in between towns(technically, the areas he traveled to weren't as far away as he thought, but hobbit-children are sometimes foolish like that). The hobbits would often deal in the human towns, as theywere neighbors, so eventually his home-town of Lohbel caught word of Horace's questionable antics and, already disgusted with his unconventional lifestyle as a hobbit, they exiled him with the utmost disdain.

Nowadays, Horace travels from town to town, searching for adventure and hoping to find some livelycohorts with which to romp.

This is a character someone has already submitted to me. It's a good example of what I'd like to see. Please get your character to me today if possible. It will make it much easier. Also, has anyone decided where we'll meet and what we'll use? I assume it's irc. We can name the channel "Obsidian RPG" if we want or some other similar name.

metadigital

Posted 19 April 2006 - 02:05 PM

This is a character someone has already submitted to me. It's a good example of what I'd like to see. Please get your character to me today if possible. It will make it much easier. Also, has anyone decided where we'll meet and what we'll use? I assume it's irc. We can name the channel "Obsidian RPG" if we want or some other similar name.

That's one tiny Halfling, even for a Hobbit! Pippin and Merry were 3'6", give or take an inch. "

Cantousent

Posted 19 April 2006 - 06:29 PM

Cantousent

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Ah, I thought I answered you. D'oh. Dammit. Anyhow, I have to get the first scenario set. For those of you who have sent me characters, that would be Tigranes and Blank, I'll be sending you a PM for your character specific information. Until the beginning of the game, your characters won't know each other unless folks let me know ahead of time. So, if you want to be buddied with someone at start, you'll have to let me know before start. Capiche? :Eldar's menacing Wise Guy look icon:

Deraldin

Posted 19 April 2006 - 06:52 PM

Cantousent

Posted 19 April 2006 - 07:32 PM

Cantousent

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Far Thel looked up at the Inn. Set at the crossroads with a river and ford on one side and the Imperial Way on the other, the large building stood out like a sore thumb. Disdaining horses, Far Thel walked quietly up the road, lost in contemplation. The sky was clear and blue and there was an exotic aroma drifting on the air. What was it? It could have been the scent of cherry blossoms but for the fact that Cherry trees did not grow here. The wind changed and Far Thel caught a different scent, a scent that stole the breath from his chest. It was the smell of home. Home. Three hundred years past and , for all he knew, destroyed. It was the scent of Elvish cooking and hearth fires burning and sweet maidens who looked at him coyly and laughed. Far Thel felt a pain in his throat so deep that he gasped and nearly fell to his knees. His eyes watered and his vision blurred. It was the smell of home.

In all the years that Far Thel had traveled this road, he had always eyed this inn with suspicion. It was always well painted and in good repair. The road was well kept in front of the inn as were all the outbuildings. A large stable served to house mounts, some of them exotic but mostly horses. On one side, the innkeeper’s wife kept a tidy garden that provided fresh vegetables when in season. There was even a small orchard, much like the ones found at a lord’s estate. A sign in front identified the establishment as “τό ξένου δόμα.” The stranger’s gift. Other than the fact that it was in such good condition, there was nothing particularly remarkable about the inn, but Far Thel stared at it darkly nonetheless.

And yet he was captivated by the inn. It had a peculiar feel to it. It was almost as if it were something alive, as if the inn itself watched him as he approached. He slowly made his way to the large, wooden porch. The dust from his boots shook onto the planks as he approached the front door. Before his hand reached the handle, the door opened and an albino elf stood in the doorway, welcoming him into the inn.

“Good day to you sir,” she said as he entered. “Would you like your usual room?”

“Yes,” Far Thel replied, “that will do. Also, bring some wine, please. Not the elvish import. I’ll take whatever reputable domestic red you have in stock.”

“As you wish sir,” the elf said with her strange, sad smile. She continued talking in a hushed voice. “I’m glad you’re here. We have some strange guests here tonight.”

Far Thel looked briefly to where three tall men sat talking to one another. They were sitting in a dark corner of the room, talking quietly and sipping from wine glasses. As he looked over at them, one of the men looked up from the others and openly stared at him. The other two men silently turned to look as well. Far Thel let a slight smile touch his lips and nodded his head. The three men continued to stare and one placed a small, curved blade on the table. Far Thel heard the elvish woman gasp as she stepped behind him.

“Is it necessary to draw a weapon, friend?” Far Thel asked.

“We just want our privacy,” said one of the men in a smooth voice.

“Then perhaps you should expend some coin for a private room,” Far Thel replied, letting his cloak fall to the side, showing the hilt of a finely wrought rapier. “This is a protected tavern on the imperial road. It’s unwise to cause problems with the empire. So, please sheath your weapon and get back to your conversation.”

The three men stared at him for two minutes. He accepted their glare, readying his mind. This was most certainly not his plan, but he felt a sort of electricity in the air. There was trouble brewing, and he would not leave the barmaid. After a few tense minutes, the men stood. Far Thel prepared a spell and rested his hand on his rapier. The tallest of the three took the blade from the table and sheathed it. The three men walked slowly past as Far Thel and the albino stood aside. Before the three strangers left the building, one turned his head back and said, “We’ve left a gift for you, Far Thel. I hope you like it.” Then the door slammed shut behind them. And the lights went dark. And a strange landscape showed through the open window, shedding a reddish light into the dark inn.